Draft gear mechanism



Feb. 26, 1935.

3. T. JOHNSON DRAFT GEAR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1931 Filed Oct. 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m M Me Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE DRAFT GEAR MECHANISM George T. Johnson, Columbus, Ohio, assignorto The Buckeye Steel Castings Company,

bus, Ohio Application October 26,

13 Claims.

yards where cars are cut loose and are brought.

to a full stop by the coupler on the moving car striking the coupler on the other cars on classifying tracks.

- The pulling forcesare, of course, due to the starting of a train in forward motion and pulling the train along the track, and as mentioned above, are'not as great as the impact or bufling forces of a loaded car.

A double acting draft gear has practically twice the capacity in buff as it has in pull, but requires modification in the yoke.

' It is customary for such couplings to have slots in the yoke and coupler through which a key passes for connecting these parts, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide the nose of the yoke with notches or recesses in lieu of slots to allow greater space for assembling the draft gear parts.

A further object is to provide a yoke having a separable butt casting which remains stationary in buff, while the main portion of the yoke moves rearwardly.

Another object is to furnish a coupler mechanism of this kind, in which the yoke straps are provided with inwardly extending lugs which engage the yoke butt casting and cause the latter to move forwardly with the yoke during pull.

A still furtherobject is to provide a draft gear for this type of coupler mechanism-including springs which absorb shocks and cooperate with the followers of the, draft gear.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as'the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, 7

Fig. 1 is a top plan view partly in horizontal section, of the improved mechanism.

vFig. 2, is a medial vertical sectional view of Colum- 1931, Serial No. 571,241

the same with certain parts diagrammatically illustrated.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation partly in transverse vertical section, said section beingtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. .5

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a draft yoke provided at its forward end with a nose 2. The straps3 and 4 of the yoke form a draft gear housing, and intermediate the ends of the housing, the straps are tied together by a trans- 1O verse web 3 All .of these portions. of the yoke are integral elements of a rugged metal casting The butt 6 of the yoke is a separate metal casting, and in assembling the parts, it is slipped into one side or the other of the rear end of the 15 yoke, and is then prevented from moving too far rearwardly by upwardly and downwardly extend ing lugs 7 arrangedat the, rear ends of the yoke straps. To reduce weight, the butt is provided with recesses 8 in its front portion.

The butt 6 functions as arear follower, and a transverse plate 18 at the front end of the draft gear, functions as a front follower Each of the followers cooperates with the yielding means of-a draft gear assembly, which 25 has yielding elements 9 positioned at the front and rear ends of the housing arranged so that they compress toward each other and against the transverse web 3 an integral part of the housing. The draft gear assembly indicated in 30 the drawings is one of a number of the usual friction and spring arrangements which could be employed.

The coupler shank is shown at 13, and its rear end abuts against the front follower as at 13 35 Said shank has a key slot 15 which is only slightly longer than the width of the key 14 which passes transversely through the coupler, yoke and draft sills 24. The slots 24* in ,the draft sills extend both forwardly and rearwardly of the edges of the key 14. i

It has been customary heretofore to provide the nose of the yoke with slots for the reception of the key, but in accordance with my invention, each side 2 of the nose of the hooded yoke is provided with a forwardly extending slit or notch 16, to receive the key, and the rear ends of the walls of these notches are curved upwardly and downwardly as shown at 17, to the top and bottom of the yoke, to provide more room for assembling the draft gear parts. I

A conventional striker casting is shown at 19, and itis provided with a carrier 20 for the coupler. This casting forms front stop lugs 21 for the follower 18, and the casting is firmly riveted to the .5

draft sills and has slots corresponding with the slots 24 to accommodate the key 14.

A more or less conventional back stop 22 is riveted to the sills 24, and cooperates with the butt casting 6, and owing to the employment of the conventional back stop 22, the dimension 0 is retained as standard by modifying the thickness- D of the butt casting.

A yoke carrier 23 is bolted to the sills 24.

To assemble the parts, the draft gear elements 9 are first placed into the combined yoke and draft gear housing, and then the butt casting 6 and follower 18 are placed in position. This ensemble is then raised into position between the sills 24, and the yoke carrier 23 is bolted to said sills. The coupler 13 and key 14 are then in serted.

This improved coupler mechanism functions as follows:

A pulling force is transmitted through the coupler shank 13 to the yoke by means of the key 14, and as the yoke and draft gear housing are cast integral, the lugs '7 cause the butt 6 to move forwardly with the draft gear, but as the follower 18 is prevented from moving forwardly by the lugs 21, the front draft gear elements 9 are compressed by the web 3*. This movement reduces the dimension A only, and the pulling force is transmitted to the sills 24 through the draft lugs 21, and thence to the car body. As the butt casting 6 moves forwardly during pull, it acts to keep the rear draft gear elements from becoming displaced.

In buff, both dimensions A and B are reduced, and the force is transmitted through the parts in order as follows: the coupler shank 13, the follower 18, the draft gear parts and draft gear housing, the butt casting 6, and the back stop 22, thence to the car body.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, it is apparent that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:--

1. In car coupler mechanism, a one-piece tubular yoke and draft gear housing including an integral intermediate transverse web and having horizontally aligned key slots at its forward end, a front follower extending through the front portion of the yoke, front resilient elements arranged in the yoke between said follower and said web and operated in one direction by the web and in the opposite direction by said follower, a movable butt connected to the rear end of the yoke, rear resilient elements arranged between the web and said butt, said rear resilient elements being operated by the butt during buff only, a stationary back stop for limiting rearward movement of the butt, front stop lugs limiting forward movement of the follower, a coupler shank extending into the front end of the yoke and engaging the follower for moving the latter during buff, and a key slidable in the yoke and connecting the yoke and coupler shank.

2. A car coupler mechanism of the character described, comprising a yoke having a hooded nose provided with rearwardly opening key receiving notches, elongated straps integral with the nose and extending rearwardly from the same, a web integral with and uniting the medial portions of said straps, front and rear yielding elements in the yoke arranged respectively, forwardly and rearwardly of said web, a yoke butt coacting with the rear yielding elements, projecting rearwardly from the rear ends of the straps and movably connected with the rear ends of the straps, the rear yielding elements being operated by the yoke butt during buff only, a front follower block cooperating with the front yielding elements for compressing the latter when the fol lower block is moved rearwardly, draft lugs limiting the forward movement of the follower block, a coupler shank, and means connecting the shank to the yoke.

3. A draft mechanism comprising a key-connected yoke and coupler and a front follower block, said yoke having abutment means at its rear end, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke and bearing against said abutment means, resilient means within the rearward portion of the yoke for normally holding the butt in contact with said abutment means, other resilient means in the forward portion of said yoke, and a web in the yoke rigidly united therewith cooperating with both of said resilient means and serving to compress the forward resilient means against the follower block during pull, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and the forward resilient means being operated during both buff and pull by said yoke and coupler.

4. A car coupler mechanism comprising an in tegral yoke and draft gear housing of box-like cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within the forward portion of said housing for normally holding the front follower in contact with said lugs, and other resilient means within the rearward portion of said housing for normally holding the butt in contact with the backstop, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and said forward resilient means being operated by the front follower and yoke during both buff and draft.

5. A car coupler mechanism comprising an integral yoke and draft gear housing of box-like cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a'backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within the forward portion of said housing for normally holding the front follower in contact with said lugs, and other resilient means within the rearward portion of said housing for normally holding the butt in contact withthe backstop, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and said forward resilient means being operated by the front follower and yoke during both buff and draft, said yoke having abutment lugs to constrain the yoke butt to move forwardly with the yoke.

6. A car coupler mechanism comprising an integral yoke and draft gear housing of box-like cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within the forward portion of said housing for normally holding the front fbllower' in contact with said lugs, other-resilient means within the rearwardportion of said housing for normally holding thebutt in contact with the backstop, said" rearward resilient means being operated by the-yoke butt during buffonly and said forward resilient meansbeingoperated by the frontfollower and yoke during both buff and draft, and a web rigidly united with the housing cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within the forward portion of said housing for normally holding the front follower in contact with said lugs, other resilient means within the rearward portion of said housing for normally holding the butt in contact with the backstop, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and said forward resilient means being operated by the front follower and yoke during both buff and draft, side sills between which the yoke and,

draft gear housing are mounted, a coupler shank, and a key passing through the side sills, yoke and coupler shank for securing the latter to the yoke, the rear end of the coupler shank operatively engaging the front follower.

8. A car coupler mechanism comprising an integral yoke and draft gear housing of box-like cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within the forward portion of said housing for normally holding the front follower in contact with said lugs, other resilient means within the rearward portion of saidhousing for normally holding the butt in contact with the backstop, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and said forward resilient means being operated by the front follower and yoke during both buff and draft, side sills between which the yoke and draft gear housing are mounted, a coupler shank, and a key passing through the side sills, yoke and coupler shank for securing the latter to the yoke, the rear end of the coupler shank operatively engaging the front. follower, the yoke being provided where the key passes through the same with a key-receiving notch which is widened at its rear end to facilitate the assembly of the draft gear parts.

9. A car coupler mechanism comprising anintegral yoke and daft gear housing of box-like cross-section, a front follower at the front end of the housing, front draft lugs engaged by the front follower, a backstop, a yoke butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke, movable relatively to the yoke and engaging said backstop, resilient means within theforward portion of said housing for normally holding the front follower in contact with said lugs, other resilient means within the rearward portion of said housing for normally holding the butt in contact with the backstop, said rearward resilient means being operated by the yoke butt during buff only and said forward resilient means being operated by the front follower and yoke during both buff and draft,'side sills between which the yoke and draft gearhousing are mounted; a coupler shank, a key passing through the side sills; yoke and coupler shank for securing the latter to the" yoke, the rear end of the couplershank operatively engaging the front follower, and a web in the housing cooperating 'withfibothwf said resilient means and serving 'to compress the forward. resilient means against the follower block during pull and the rearward resilient means against the yoke buttduringbuff'.

10. A car coupler mechanism of the character described, comprising a one-piece yoke of hollow form having an opening at each end, a front follower block, a separable rearwardly projecting yoke butt, the opening at the front end of the yoke being closed by the follower block and the opening at the rear end being closed by the yoke butt, said follower block and yoke butt being movably mounted in the yoke for movement toward and away from each other, front and rear yielding elements in the yoke bearing respectively against the follower block'and the yoke butt, a stationary rear backstop for limiting rearward movement of the yoke butt, means on the yoke for causing the yoke butt to move forwardly with the yoke, stationary means for limiting the forward movement of the follower block, a coupler shank engaging the follower block, and means connecting the coupler shank to the forward end of the yoke.

11. A car coupler mechanism of the character described, comprising a one-piece yoke of hollow form having an opening at each end, a front follower block, a separable rearwardly projecting yoke butt, the opening at the front end of the yoke being closed by the follower block and the opening at the rear end being closed by the yoke butt, said follower block and yoke butt being movably mounted in the yoke for movementtoward and away from each other, front and rear yielding elements in theyoke bearing respectively against the follower block and the yoke butt, a

stationary rear backstop for limiting rearward movement of the yoke butt, means on the yoke for causing the yoke butt to move forwardly with the yoke, stationary means for limiting the forward movement of the follower block, a coupler shank engaging the follower block, and means connecting the coupler shank to the forward end of the yoke, the means for causing the yoke butt to move forwardly with the yoke including lugs united with the yoke.

12. A car coupler mechanism of the character described, comprising a one-piece yoke of hollow form having an opening at each end, a front follower block, a separable rearwardly projecting yoke butt, the opening at the front end of the yoke being closedby the follower block and the opening at the rear end being closed by the yoke butt, said follower blockand yoke butt being movably mounted in the yoke for movement toward and away from each other, front and rear yielding elements in the yoke bearing respectively against the follower block and the yoke butt, a stationary rear backstop for limiting rearward movement of the yoke butt, means on the yoke for causing the yoke butt to move forwardly with the yoke,

"stationary means for limiting the forward movement of the follower block, a coupler shank engaging the follower block, means connecting the coupler shank to the forward end of the yoke, and

a web arranged fixedly within the yoke and engaging the front and rear yielding elements.

13. A car coupler mechanism comprising side sills, front draft lugs arranged at'the forward portion of said sills, a rear backstop arranged between the sills, a one-piece yoke of hollow form arranged between said side sills and movable forwardly and rearwardly relativelyto said backstop, a yoke butt movably connected to the yoke and normally engaging said backstop, a web fixed within the yoke at the medial portion of the yoke, rear yielding elements arranged in the yoke between the web and yoke butt and normally holding the butt in contact with the backstop, said butt projecting rearwardly from the yoke and the yoke having means for causing the butt to move forwardly with the yoke, a follower block positioned forwardly of said web and normally engaging the front draft lugs, front yielding elements arranged in the yoke between the web and follower block and yield-ingly holding the follower 'block in engagement with the front draft lugs, a coupler shank operatively engaging the front of the follower block, said follower block being movably mounted in the yoke for movement toward and away from said web, and a key connecting the coupler shank, yoke and side sills to one another.

GEORGE T. JOHNSON. 15 

